This invention relates to weighing apparatus and more particularly to a water-resistant, low profile weighing apparatus.
Industrial weighing scales are used in many different environments. In some cases they are subject to hostile enviroments and may be used to weigh corrosive substances. In other cases, such as meat packing plants, the environment must, by law, be maintained in a highly sanitary condition. In many cases the weighing area, including the weighing apparatus, may be washed down with water or liquid cleaning solutions delivered by hoses or the like at relatively high velocities. Since the accuracy of the weighing apparatus is affected by substantial amounts of moisture it is desirable, if not neccesary, to protect at least the sensitive parts of the weighing apparatus from excessive moisture. In the past this has usually been done by enclosing the strain gauges and other sensitive portions of the weighing apparatus in a water resistant environment.
Recently, weighing scales have been developed which are very economical to manufacture and have a very low profile making them desirable for a wide range of weighing applications. Examples of such weighing apparatus are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,261,429 to Lockery and in co-pending application Ser. No. 496,053 filed May 19, 1983. These scales have applications in the environments described above so that it is extremely desirable that the scales be able to withstand "washdown" without excessively affecting the accuracy.